28 
rain of any consequence from August 10 until October 1. During 
this time the farmers ploughed their fields and sowed their wheat, 
but it did not germinate until the late rains set in, and then it was 
too late for the wheat-bulb worm to find a lodgment in the root— 
the flies having deposited their eggs by the 15th of September.” 
It is, perhaps, worth while to mention, also, that many of the 
larve and pup are still in the straw at harvest, and that prompt 
threshing would be likely to destroy many of these. 
It is necessary to bear in mind, however, that there is a strong 
probability that this insect breeds in some of our native or cultivated 
grasses, and that, if such be the case, no destruction of those occur- 
ring in grain will be more than a partial and imperfect preventive. 
SUMMARY. 
The wheat-bulb worm, known as an enemy of wheat since 1845, 
has but just been completely studied, full descriptions of all the 
stages and a complete account of the life history having been first 
given by the writer during the present year. It makes its attack 
on wheat and rye in the form of a slender, small, cylindrical mag- 
got, of a very pale watery-green color, footless. and without distinct 
head, pointed at one end (the anterior), and tapering but obtuse at 
the other. 
It is a quarter of an inch long when full-grown, and is composed 
of twelve segments, not counting the head, which is minute and not 
easily distinguished. Within the latter are seen two longitudinal 
black hooks, curved downwards at the tip, which are kept in con- 
stant backward and forward motion as long as the insect is alive. 
In this form it is found in October and November, throughout the 
winter, and until the following May, concealed among the bases of 
the leaves, just above the root, of young winter wheat, killing the 
plant by gnawing and tearing the stem and leaves and sucking the 
sap. Where the larve are numerous, they may easily totally de- 
stroy a field of wheat or rye. 
Here, in April and May, the worms transform to pupe, these 
being much like the larve in general appearance, but shorter and 
thicker, and, apparently, with less numerous segments, those at the 
ends being shrunken and inconspicuous. From this pupa the adult 
fly emerges in June, a two-winged, greenish insect, only one-fifth 
of an inch long, distinguished by strongly thickened posterior thighs, 
and by three longitudinal black stripes on the thorax and abdomen. 
These flies soon lay their eggs for a second brood, attaching 
them usually near the edge of the sheath of the upper leaf of the 
wheat, often several of the white fusiform bodies (longitudinally 
ribbed and less than .925 of an inch long) being placed in a row. 
From these the young larve hatch in June and enter the sheath, 
working their way down to the base of the stem of the head above 
the upper joint, where they immediately commence to feed upon the 
soft tissues of this tenderest part of the stem. As a consequence, 
the head of the grain is blighted and soons turns white, and the 
steut within the sheath finally withers and blackens for a half inch 
ed 
i le ST a EM 
